


Trial Run

by demonsushi01



Series: Klance Trope Month 2k20 [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), Past James Griffin/Keith (Voltron), Weddings, very introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23995540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsushi01/pseuds/demonsushi01
Summary: Day 3. Fake DatingKeith gets a wedding invite and marks down a plus one. He's seeing someone already so no harm no foul right? Until Keith breaks up with him for cheating. Now a week before the wedding Keith has to turn to Lance to be his date. The problem? Keith's been holding a crush on Lance for years.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Klance Trope Month 2k20 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727086
Comments: 21
Kudos: 255
Collections: Creative Chaos Discord Recs





	Trial Run

When the invite showed up in Keith’s mail, he originally tossed it onto his counter where it sat for about a week before he had the wherewithal to actually open it. It was a wedding invite for an old ex of his, James Griffin. He spent another few days debating on going or not. He then looked over at his current partner and marked down plus one. He mailed it out the next day.

It wasn’t the only thing he did. After he had put in his request for time off, and thankfully had _actually_ gotten it approved in record time, he had looked at places around the area. Keith will admit, he’d noticed the relationship had been under pressure and figured this would be a good time to get back in the rhythm of things. He had booked a nice hotel near the venue, gotten decent plane tickets and a rental car, _hell_ he even had gotten reservations at a nice restaurant in the area as well. 

That had been a month ago. Since then he had caught his partner fucking some other person in _Keith’s_ bed. Needless to say, he kicked his partner to the curb and had given the confused person caught in the middle a pitiful look as they took off. Now, with a week until the wedding, he still hasn’t found someone to fill the plus one. He needs someone to be his fake date because that’s the sad and sorry state Keith is in. Fake. Dates.

There’s the very obvious choice he could go with. Lance McClain, true ride-or-die as he likes to put it. The guy would have the easiest time with getting the days off and be the most willing of Keith’s few friends to go along with his plan. However, there’s… _complications_. Complications in the form of years old feelings that keep popping back up no matter how hard he tries or how deep he buries it. 

It’s as if his feelings for Lance have long since become a part of his DNA, a part of who he is at his very _core_ . And yeah, it’s what causes ninety percent of his relationship problems. His partners can just tell he’s not _that_ into them, regardless of what he does or tries. Some get upset, some deeply hurt, and some strangely understand. It’s hard to love a boy like Lance, a boy who’s been his closest friend since sophomore year in high school. It’s hard and nobody understands.

But if you were to ask Keith why he avoids picking Lance first, he’d tell you a different story, paint you a different picture. He’d say something along the lines of Lance’s penchant for overdramatics or his lack of maturity or seriousness to handle the situation as it should be. It’d be a _lie_ , sure, but it’s what he would say and then pray Lance doesn’t hear.

So yeah, Keith considers his other friends first. For starters there’s Hunk. Hunk’s well, a guy for one thing, so already in the running for a fake date. The guy has a great set of arms, a loveable personality, social, won’t let Keith accidentally start a fight, all in all he’s got some really good qualities to him. Sadly, there are some very important drawbacks as well. Hunk cannot lie to save his life, he _essentially_ has two jobs, and when he gets nervous he starts talking about some very convoluted stuff that most people have difficulty following and makes him _more_ nervous.

Hunk’s a no go. As is Shiro, because that’s his brother, and Allura, for obvious reasons.

Next on his list is Pidge. They at least work part-time on the college campus and could probably get the days off very easily. And heck, if they wore a suit and felt like wearing a binder they’d very easily look more masc. The drawback is that neither he nor Pidge have any form of impulse control and would probably be more likely to set the place on fire because of a half-baked ‘what-if’. 

So Pidge is out.

Keith sighs. He didn’t want to have to ask Lance. Fates, however, don’t care. They want to see him suffer. And suffer he shall. 

Samurai: Alright.

Samurai: I have 

Samurai: No, I *need* you

Sharpshooter: aww keith

Sharpshooter: //wipes away tears

Sharpshooter: i have waited all my life to hear u say that

Samurai: Focus.

Sharpshooter: im listening

Samurai: I need a favor.

Sharpshooter: say no more

Sharpshooter: lets talk in person

Sharpshooter: WYA?

Samurai: WYA?

Sharpshooter: OMG keith, where u at

Samurai: My place.

Sharpshooter: ill be there in 5

Samurai: Five what?

Samurai: Lance!

Samurai: Ugh.

It could be worse, he tells himself, though it feels like a lie. Sure enough, in five minutes, there’s a knock on his door. He opens it and Lance walks in with his big shit-eating grin on his face as he throws himself over the couch and makes himself home in the studio apartment.

“Sooo,” He draws out. “What does big, _bad_ , Keith Kogane need from wittle ol’ me?” He presses his hand to his chest and bats his eyelashes. Okay, maybe the overdramatics part wasn’t a lie. With a deep breath, he closes the door and goes to lean against his bed, glancing over at Lance who looks far too nice against his couch like that.

“I have a wedding I’m going to and I need a date.” 

“Why?”

“I already wrote down a plus one when I RSVP’d a month ago.”

“Were you expecting to get a date for this thing before the wedding?” Lance raises an eyebrow.

“I… had a partner at the time.”

“... No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did.”

“No, because you would have told us about him.” Lance sits up.

“I did, but I didn’t say anything this time.” Keith shrugs.

“Are you still together?”

“No, we _broke_ up.”

“You broke up?”

“He was fucking someone else on my bed, Lance.”

“Okay! No. Start over. From the beginning. _When_ did you meet this guy?”

“The one having the wedding or the most recent ex?”

“The ex!” Lance groans.

“Like three months ago.” Keith shrugs.

“And you didn’t say anything? To us?” He looks hurt.

“I… I didn’t want to cause troubles between everyone.”

“Oh my god, Keith. That’s what people say when they’ve got a toxic relationship.”

“So the guy was a _bit_ possessive.”

“A _bit_?” 

“He… Well, y’know how I get around… around my dad’s…” Keith can’t find himself able to say the word _death_. 

“Yeah.” Lance’s face is somber. “You were really fucked up this year with it.”

“I graduated and he didn’t get to see m-- Ugh no, I’m not going to --” He tilts his head back and closes his eyes. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Lance is over by his side. 

“I hate this.”

“I know.” He hums and rubs Keith’s arm. He takes a moment to compose himself again and continues.

“Anyway, I was moping around and I visited you guys remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. Pidge had shown off their new game you two did co-op on, Hunk baked your favorite cookies, and I let you pick the movie.” Lance smiles fondly.

“Yeah. He um-- He didn’t like that I stayed with you. _All_ of you.” He adds on quickly. Because while his recent ex was mostly against Lance himself, he doesn’t need to know.

“What a prick. This _always_ happens. Some people just don’t seem to understand our friendship runs deep.”

“We weren’t doing too good and I thought maybe going to this wedding was going to be fun and stuff. Even planned to stay like two more days there just for the sightseeing.”

“Rock collecting, you mean.” Lance teases.

“Same shit.” Keith rolls his eyes.

“Nah. Some people actually do this thing where they,” He gasps. “Take _pictures_.”

“Shocking.”

“Very.”

“Can’t believe people are out there stealing souls and shit.”

“Look man, gingers have it hard okay? They need help sometimes.” 

“Oh my god, you’re awful.” Keith shoves his friend away.

“You started it.” Lance laughs.

“Anyway --”

“Please continue.” He cuts him off.

“Anyway,” Keith says louder. “Last month I caught him banging some twink on _my_ bed.”

“Not a _twink_.”

“Yes, Lance. A poor, confused as hell, twink. I broke it off with him already.”

“And then waited a month before getting a replacement date to this wedding?”

“...I have limited options. Plus it doesn’t seem like the place you’d take some stranger to.”

“Probably not, no.” Lance agrees. “Why not tell the guy you can’t make it, drop your name and your plus one?”

“...Because he’s _also_ an ex of mine.”

“Dear Jesus.”

“Look, I think it’s his way of being like ‘We’re cool now right?’ so I want him to know we’re cool. I _want_ to put this particular part of my life to an end and know that we will _not_ be a thing again.”

“Were you hoping to be?”

“Not particularly.”

“Oh?”

“...It’s James.”

“Wait. Like. Griffin? From high school?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow.” Lance whistles. “I’m surprised he remembers you.”

“We dated on and off for three _years_ , Lance.” 

“Still.” He shrugs.

“But uh, that’s the situation. I have _no_ date for this thing, and I _want_ to go.” 

“Does sound like you’re S.O.L.”

“Thanks. Very astute.”

“Is this where I come in?”

“Yeah. How do you feel like going to Colorado Springs in a week and can you get the time off?”

“Hmm.” Lance taps his chin thoughtfully and Keith prays he agrees. He has no plan other than to be a gravedigger and ask Coran to accompany him. He’d rather not do that though.

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Oh thank God.” Keith sighs with relief.

“But!”

“But?”

“We need to establish our dating life together.” Lance points out.

“What do you mean?”

“For example, how long have we been together? When is our anniversary? Have you met my parents? Have I met your pack of wolves?”

“Hey, only _I_ get to call them wolves.” Keith snickers. 

“Well, have I met them?”

“Do we have to do this?”

“Yeah, because people ask this stuff. We might not be straight, but our stories need to be.”

“You’re terrible.” He groans at the bad joke.

“I try.” Lance smiles.

“Fine, let’s ask questions and answer them?”

“Who’s the big spoon and who’s the little spoon?” Lance asks with a serious face. Keith’s palm finds his head. This will be a _long_ week.

*****

Sadly, he had been right. In a single week, Lance had spent nearly every waking moment with him. They both went over every little detail so meticulously. Each ‘fact’ is engraved into Keith’s mind and it has been crafted carefully. All the way down to social media posts being altered. And now, here they are, a week later on their plane and flying out of the state. 

There’s a baby in the seat in front of them that won’t stop staring at him but is being wonderfully quiet. Someone keeps on kicking his seat and the hostess gave him peanuts when he politely declined. So it’s going great.

“Where did we meet?” Lance asks him.

“High school. Obviously.” Keith rolls his eyes.

“Who’s my favorite sister?” 

“Raquel, because she stays out of your business. But if your mom asks, you tell her Veronica because she’s closer to your age.” He guesses they could play this game of twenty questions to see if everything is watertight.

“Good, good. Have I met your mom?”

“Yeah, she loved you.”

“That’s it?” Lance raises a brow.

“She _loved_ you so much, she took you on her bike out to the cliffs and then threatened to push you off and leave you for the buzzards if you broke my heart.” He turns to look at Lance.

“...Would she really?” 

“Lance, _I_ don’t know.” Keith huffs, a bit frustrated and tired. Getting up early just to be on a plane is not his favorite activity. Getting up early, in _general_ , isn’t his favorite.

“Okay, okay, sorry.” Lance holds his hands up. 

“...Who confessed first?” He asks as an apology. It’s not Lance’s fault for wanting to be prepared for anything after all.

“I did. _Obvio._ Because _you_.” He pokes Keith’s shoulder. “Have the emotional depth of a walnut.”

“Walnut? Why a walnut?”

“Have you _seen_ walnuts?”

“Yeah, they look like brains.”

“... That’s not what I was going to say.” Lance snickers.

“You are _disgusting_. Why am I friends with you?” Keith scrunches up his nose.

“Because you couldn’t get rid of me in high school when I was at my weakest. Now, I’m far stronger. This? This isn’t even my final form,” He sticks his tongue out and gestures with a hand to himself. “Plus, we’re ‘dating’ now, remember?”

“Fuck me.” Keith groans and lets his head fall against the headrest.

“Didn’t know you’d want to join the mile-high club.” Lance teases.

“Just one more hour. _One_ more hour.” He reminds himself. One more hour of being trapped on a plane, thirty-two thousand feet in the air with Lance as his sole companion.

*****

Keith is ever so thankful for the woman behind the rental counter who hands him his keys with minimal hassle. He walks over to where Lance has finally fished out his suitcase. The guy doesn’t know how to pack light but Keith is grateful for the larger suitcase. His own suit is packed with Lance’s after the guy nearly flipped at Keith’s attempt to stuff it into his duffle bag.

“Ready?” He asks.

“Yes, sir!” Lance grins and hooks his arm with Keith. “You and I are boyfriends from this second on.” He whispers with a wink.

“Why now? It’s just for the wedding after all.”

“I need to get into my role, Keith! I need to be in the zone.” 

“...I think you’ll be fine.”

“Let me practice okay? It’ll make me feel better.” Lance pouts and Keith nods. He’s in need of actual food, maybe coffee injected straight into his bloodstream. He leads Lance outside who whistles.

“There’s _snow_ on that mountain out there Keith! Oh my god, does this place _actually_ have all four seasons?” He gasps and looks over to him.

“Compared to?”

“We only get winter and summer remember?” Lance snickers.

“No, no, we do get four.”

“Oh really?”

“Winter, wet, summer, wind.” Keith points out and unlocks the car they’ll be using during their stay.

“Can I offer: winter, warm winter, summer, cool summer?”

“Ah, but wet and wind, Lance.” Keith laughs as he sets his bag in the back. 

“But ‘cool summer’ just sounds, well, _cooler_.”

“Don’t make me put you in the backseat with the child locks engaged.” He gives him a warning look.

“ _Chill_ out.” Lance grins. Keith very pointedly flips the switch for the child lock on the door in his hands. He then checks to make sure that his watch and phone both have the correct time on them after crossing into a different time zone.

“I’m starving and we have two hours to kill before check-in. What do you want to eat?” Keith asks as he gets in the driver’s seat.

“Something that we can’t have at home or anywhere else. It’s my rule of thumb usually if I’m traveling out of town.” Lance says, setting his bag in the back and then slipping into the front.

“What do you mean?”

“Like, McDonald's or Penny’s diner. They’re everywhere and I can have that experience at home.”

“Alright, let’s drive around a bit and find something?”

“Hell yeah.”

They end up pulling into a Waffle House, a restaurant they most certainly don’t have in their tiny hometown. Keith is grateful for the greasiest diner food he’s had since his dad passed. Lance sits next to him in their small booth the entire time, leaning against his side and playing with his hand. He even fights Keith for paying the check and he eventually relents on this _one_. They pile back into the car and find the hotel.

Lance is looking around the lobby like a child at Willy Wonka’s before the OSHA corrections. Keith shakes his head, amused, and takes his hand from Lance’s, checking them in. They give him his keys, wifi access, tell him where the pool is and send him on his way. Keith nabs Lance from where he’d wandered off, looking at the chandelier and taking him to the elevator.

“Keith, what the hell? This place is like, _super_ posh.” 

“It’s nice.” Keith shrugs. 

“ _Very._ ”

“Does it bother you?” 

“I’ll adjust.” Lance smiles. Keith nods and when the elevator dings he walks them out. 

“I’m just glad they were able to keep us under the seventh floor.” He says, looking for their room.

“You got something against seven?”

“Firetruck ladders can only reach as high as the seventh or eighth story.” He shrugs nonchalantly and puts the keycard in their door.

“...You can’t just _say_ things like _that_ and act like it’s not scary!”

“It’s not? They just have a different way of getting you down after that.”

“Jesus. That’s gotta be stressful for them.”

“Dad never said.” Keith pushes the door open and lets them both inside. 

Off-white walls with wood paneling behind the queen-sized mattress and a small sitting area with two armchairs looking out the window are what greets the pair. Lance even points at a mini-chandelier hanging in the center of the room and makes a strange noise. Keith stares at the mattress, two lovingly crafted towel swans are resting their heads together. He runs his hand through his hair and groans at the sight.

“Are those swans!?” Lance gently touches one. 

“They look like it.”

“There are mints on the pillows too!” He scoops up one of the swans and tucks it under his arm as he looks at them. “I bet this place has alcohol in their mini-fridge!”

“Probably.” Keith’s fairly sure they would have it, all things considered. He sets the other swan on the desk freeing up space for him to set his bag down. 

“They do!” Lance gasps from over by the mini-fridge.

“Don’t drink it, it costs extra,” Keith warns him.

“I know that! Just because I haven’t _stayed_ in a hotel that has a big-ass chandelier in the lobby doesn’t mean I’m clueless” Lance pouts as he shuts the door, swan still tucked under his arm. Keith huffs a soft laugh as he fishes out his suit from Lance’s bag for tomorrow. Lance watches him with curious eyes. 

“Y’know, I’ve never seen you in a suit. Did you even wear one for our graduation?”

“I did, but it was Shiro’s so it didn’t fit me right,” Keith hangs his suit up. “Plus we were wearing caps and gowns.”

“Yeah, true. I’m just asking cause like, I was wearing my Spiderman costume under mine.”

“I remember. You hit me with its silly string after we tossed our caps.” Keith laughs. Lance sets his swan with the other and gets his suit out too, hanging it up with Keith’s. Keith moves the mints onto one of the nightstands, kicks his shoes off, and then lets himself flop face-first onto the bed.

“So, one bed. Fancy hotel.” Lance starts.

“And a reservation at a five-star restaurant.” Keith lifts his head from the sheets.

“ _Seriously_?”

“Yep.”

“You really had been hoping for that happy ending huh?” He teases

“I already told you, I was hoping this would be able to fix us.” Keith crosses his arms under his chin. 

“Yeah, I still don’t get him.” Lance joins him on the bed and kicks his shoes off as well. 

“What do you mean?”

“Who gets jealous over a partner’s friends?”

“...Yeah.” Keith looks away from Lance.

“Oh.” He says softly. “...It wasn’t our friends, it was me _again_ wasn’t it?” 

“Lance.” Of course, he’s caught on that several of his exes have ended things _because_ of him. 

“I don’t get it, why do your exes hate me?” 

“They don’t hate you.” Keith pushes himself upright.

“Then? What is it about me they don’t like?” He looks up at Keith. What’s he supposed to say? That they don’t like how he will drop practically everything for him just as Lance does? They don’t like how he smiles brighter, laughs louder, comes to life more around him? They don’t like how he stares longingly at Lance, talks about Lance, is more willing to touch Lance, and just goes to him first for any of his problems?

“I don’t know,” Keith says instead. “The last guy just said I was emotionally cheating on him. That’s all.” It’s true and he feels like shit for it. Every time, every single _damn_ time he thinks he’s moved on, Lance will do something and he will fall back in love with him. 

“Is it because I’m so touchy-feely?” 

“I don’t know, Lance. That’s all he had said.”

“Well, that’s dumb. You weren’t.” Lance rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah…” He runs his hands through his hair. “I’m gonna take a shower. Do you want to figure out what we’ll do for dinner?”

“I’m guessing room service isn’t an option?” 

“Maybe our last night,” Keith says snagging a non-swan towel and going to the bathroom. 

“What are you in the mood for?” 

“Anything.” 

*****

After eating a whole pizza and then having a pillow fight for control of the tv, they both lay on the bed. Lance leans against Keith’s shoulder arguing with the contestants on some reality show he’d put on. Keith can feel his heart racing under his skin as it often does when he’s sitting this close to Lance. He knows, from past experiences, he can hold Lance’s hand like this and the guy would let it happen. 

And if he holds his hand, closes his eyes, he can pretend just for a moment that they _are_ together. 

*****

The problem with pretending is that you have to stop at some point or reality itself delivers unto you a rude awakening. This awakening had been given to him years ago between the months of him meeting Lance for the first time and dating James. It’s one he holds close to his heart and refuses to talk about to anyone. 

Keith doesn’t even know if Lance remembers the events of that homecoming with the same painful clarity as he does. 

Neither of them went to the actual dance, but they went to one of the various afterparties being hosted by some upper-classman Keith no longer recalls the name of. But they went, Lance because he was genuinely invited, Keith as his plus-one when the others had declined. 

They had played a few rounds of spin the bottle, with some _modifications_ . The spinner was blindfolded and had to guess who the bottle landed on after the kiss. Keith had been a mess of nerves every time someone spun, praying it _wouldn’t_ be him. Lance had excitedly kissed some girl and she was able to guess correctly. They had blindfolded him and he spun.

That had been when Keith’s luck ran out. The bottle landed on him, there had been the collective ‘ooo’ when they saw and he remembers wanting to die. He remembers with sweaty palms and shaking knees he crossed the circle of his peers and then kneeled in front of Lance. 

“Hey.” Lance had smirked. Keith had said nothing, his heart going haywire. 

He remembers kissing Lance. He remembers the second round of cheers. He remembers the smell of Lance’s aftershave, the feel of his lips against his, and the way Lance’s hands had settled on his waist. It was warm, electrifying, and soul-shattering. He remembers he leaned back, carefully prying Lance’s hands off of him. 

“Jenny?” Lance had asked head tilting. Keith got to his feet as both Jennys laughed and told him no. He had locked himself in the bathroom and had spent a few minutes trying to figure out why it had felt like he’d been harpooned and gutted.

But the night didn’t end there. No matter how much he had wished. No, Lance had wanted Keith to come play truth or dare with him. And they did, and they got Keith on truth because he refused dares with these hooligans. 

“Are you gay?” They asked, it made him uncomfortable to have to admit it in a room full of strangers. But Lance stood up for him, calling the question unreasonable and a party foul. 

“Would you kiss Keith, Lance?” They asked him instead when it became obvious Keith wasn’t going to answer them.

“What? No. Why would I?” He scrunched up his nose. “I don’t like him like that.”

And yeah, Keith had found himself gutted once again. Found himself frozen and then he had pretended to get a call and had stepped out. Lance followed as Keith had quickly put in Shiro’s number while praying the guy wasn’t busy at his own homecoming at the college.

“Keith?” Lance had grabbed his arm, right as Shiro answered.

“Hey kiddo, what’s up?”

“Are you sure you’re on your way?” Keith said and Shiro had known.

“Where are you?”

“Keith, what’s wrong?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll go wait at the park for you.” 

“Be there in five minutes.” 

“Keith!” Lance tugged his arm. He simply jerked it away, closed his phone, and tucked it into his pocket.

“Shiro’s being a downer and is getting me early, you can stay.” 

“You’re lying. Why are you lying?” Because even then Lance had somehow been able to read him better than anyone else he’d ever met.

“Lance, seriou--”

“Is this because I won’t kiss you?” 

“Drop it.” He had tried to walk away, walk to the park where Shiro would pick him up from school.

“It is!”

“It’s fine!”

“Are you really being a baby over it?”

“Would it really be the end of the world to kiss me!?” He had spun around and glared at Lance.

“I don’t make out with friends, Keith!” Lance had thrown his arms out. “That’s how you fuck up friendships!” 

*****

Keith’s buttoning his shirt up, getting into his suit while Lance showers. His fingers tremble slightly, remembering that night. He has to remember, has to remind himself. Lance had boundaries, drew a line, and it’s Keith’s responsibility to respect that. It doesn’t make it hurt less. 

He still hasn’t finished when Lance steps out in his dress pants, shirt undone. But Keith can’t get a moment to appreciate the bare chest because of his plain undershirt.

“Hey, you okay man?” Lance’s hands cut over his field of vision, covering his own. 

“I’m fine.” He mumbles. 

“No, you’re not.” 

“...I’m nervous,” Keith says instead. Lance snorts softly, batting Keith’s hands away as he finishes the buttons on Keith’s shirt.

“And you’re not the one getting married. Imagine how James must be doing.” 

“Yeah.” He steps away to tuck his shirt into his pants as Lance buttons his shirt.

“Relax man, everything will be fine.” 

“Right.” Keith nods, stepping in front of the mirror and combing his hair back. He gathers it in one hand, picking up the hair tie from the counter he’d left it on and pulls his hair up.

“I’m still saying I could have braided it,” Lance calls from where he’s doing his tie by the bed.

“Maybe some other time.” Keith looks himself over in the mirror. 

“You always say that.” He groans and nudges Keith away. 

“One of these days it will be true.” He grabs his suit jacket, puts on his tie, and double-checks it’s straight and he has everything he needs.

“How do I look?” Lance asks and Keith takes a deep breath before turning around. 

Lance has his hair slicked back, his suit jacket in hand over his shoulder while the other is in his pocket. He’s got his weight on one leg, confidence in his eyes, and a toothy grin. Keith’s mouth feels incredibly dry. A fitted blue button-up, darker blue and grey tie, he looks like he was _made_ to wear that suit.

“You. Great. Look. Wow.” Keith chokes out. Lance laughs loudly.

“Alright caveman.” He walks over. “Ready to go?”

“Please.” Keith winces and nods, grabbing his copy of the invite and leading them out.

“Oh, by the way, Keith.” 

“Yeah?”

“You look great too.” Lance smiles and it disarms him. 

“You too.” He says.

“I know.” Lance hip checks him and then walks out to the elevator.

The drive to the venue itself isn’t that bad. Lance sings along with the radio as he stares out the window. Keith just prays for the event to end already. As much as he wanted to go, now he’s realizing _another_ issue with having Lance come with him.

But he can’t chicken out without Lance getting suspicious. So he parks in the designated place, links arms with Lance who then laughs and takes his hand instead. He shows the bouncer his invite and is allowed in with Lance. The party hasn’t started just yet so they’re quick to nab a seat at one of the various tables. 

“This place reminds me of my cousin’s Quinceñera. The ballroom, the streamers, laser lights.” Lance whispers.

“Is that bad?”

“Not at all, but it does get hot in here.” He says. 

The guests continue to file in. There’s a handful of familiar faces who approach the two. Every single time Lance, and consequently Keith, stands up to greet them. Some mention they haven’t seen the pair in years, others just say it’s good the two still have each other. Both Jennys giggle and show off their new engagement rings, blushing at one another. Lance congratulates them and in return, the Jennys congratulate Keith and Lance as well. 

Lance, bless his heart, takes it in stride even when there’s a second of confusion on his face. The girls walk away, hand in hand, and Lance turns to Keith.

“A lot of people don’t seem surprised we’re together.” He comments.

“We _were_ close back in high school.” Keith points out.

“I suppose.”

Eventually, the married couple walks in. Keith hasn’t seen James in years, but the guy certainly looks happier than when they were together. It soothes him to see James smile and duck his face a little while holding his husband’s hand. 

The couple makes their way around the room, greeting everyone. They eventually get to Lance and Keith.

“Wow, Keith. Hey!” James smiles.

“Congratulations. You look good. Happy.” Keith says as he shakes his hand. James looks back at his husband.

“What can I say, Ryan knows what he’s doing.” 

“Yeah, congratulations! It’s good to see you again man, it’s been ages.” Lance offers a hug. He takes it and Lance makes sure to pat the guy’s back.

“Good to see you too McClain,” James glances between Keith and Lance. “You came together?” 

“Of course!” Lance wraps his arm around Keith who prays the panic isn’t on his face. “ _We’re_ a package deal now if you get me.”

“You’re dating him?” James’ brows raise.

“Yeah.” Keith nods. “We’re dating now.”

“Holy shit, _finally_.” 

“Finally?” Lance tilts his head.

“Do you know how much he talked about you back then _even_ when we were together?” James laughs. “Dude was so obviously head-over-heels for you. It kinda sucked, but hey, I knew what I was getting into.”

“What?” Lance blinks, off-guard and confused.

“You never told him?” James looks over to Keith, causing Lance to look at him as well. He swallows, _god he’s sweaty_.

“I guess I forgot to mention it,” Keith says. James huffs a laugh and shakes his head. Lance stares at him strangely, like he’s trying to solve a puzzle without instructions.

“Anyway, we have a lot more guests to greet. But it was nice seeing you two. Enjoy the night.” James pats Lance on the shoulder and Lance turns to him with a smile.

“Yeah, man. And congrats again!”

“Thanks. You too.” With that James waves and the married couple leave. 

The rest of the night, Keith sits and stews in his own sweat and emotions. Lance has let the event roll off his back and continues on as nothing has happened. But Keith, he _knows_ . James didn’t mean to cause any damage, no one here has, but Lance is smart. He’s smarter than others give him credit for and he _will_ figure out that Keith has feelings for him. It was the realization he’d come to in the car and one he had hoped wouldn’t come to fruition. 

Right now, Lance is chatting with him about the meal. Keith eats it because he’s hungry. He has no real comments on it besides it being warm and food. Lance frowns and nudges Keith. He does what he can to make him smile but it doesn’t work. Keith’s too busy being worried about Lance finding things out, about ruining his friendship and losing the best friend he has. All the while, Lance’s words from that night of the homecoming echo over and over in his head.

_Why would he agree to fake dating, when he didn’t want to ruin our friendship by kissing?_

When the married couple opens the dance floor with their first dance, something that in hindsight was lovely, Keith wants to leave. He’s wanted to leave since James said hi. Lance tries multiple times to get him to join him on the dance floor. Keith isn’t much of a dancer on his good days and most certainly isn’t one right now. Lance sighs and takes to the floor himself, having fun dancing with the people around him. 

But it just feels like everyone is staring at him. Old paranoias creeping up along his back and sinking their teeth into his skin. His leg bounces restlessly under the table as he watches everyone. At some point Lance comes back, maybe having sensed something being wrong with Keith, and tries getting Keith to focus on him. 

He doesn’t remember how well it worked. But he _does_ remember Lance guiding him by the hand to say good night to James who thanks them for coming. Lance congratulates the couple again and they smile and nod. 

They’re in the parking lot and Lance is patting his pockets, which Keith is somewhat fighting him for.

“Keys.”

“What?” Keith looks at him.

“Where are the keys?” Lance grabs his face to make him stare at his baby blues. Keith pulls his head away and passes the keys to Lance who takes them. He then pushes Keith into the front passenger seat and slips into the driver’s side. 

It’s only when they get to the hotel Keith remembers he’s the only one _supposed_ to drive the rental car. But alas. Lance is a good and safe driver. 

He deposits Keith on the bed, setting the keys on the nightstand and starts pulling the layers of his suit off. Keith manages to loosen his tie and pull his shoes off when Lance retreats into the bathroom. He stares blankly at the tv, no power on just his own reflection on its screen. _Lance knows. He knows._

He feels sick to his stomach having taken advantage of Lance’s friendship in a way and calling him his partner like he wants to so desperately. How sick. How rude. Awful. Scum. He’s just --

“Come in space cadet.” Lance is waving his hands in front of Keith’s face and then yelping when Keith jolts. They both stare at one another for a few minutes. Lance’s hair is starting to curl up at its ends and he’s changed into pajamas.

“Breathe.” Lance reminds him and Keith takes a shaky breath. “Take my hand, it’s going to be okay.” 

“It’s not.” Keith chokes out.

“Yeah, it will.”

“No.” 

“Keith, you’re panicking, okay? It’ll fade and it’ll be fine.” 

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it to me.” Lance reaches out and takes his hand. It burns. 

“I…” 

“You?”

“I can’t.” He shakes his head, taking his hand away, and getting up. He paces around the room, trying to breathe. 

“Yes, you can.”

“No, I can’t!”

“Keith.” Lance gets up and tries to stop him from moving. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“You’ve been weird since James talked to us. Do you miss him or something? Wish you could go back and be with him again?”

“No! No, I don’t want to be with him.”

“...Then it’s me.”

“What?”

“It’s me, it’s _always_ me.” Lance frowns.

“What?” He repeats, mind blank.

“Why is it me? You’re exes hate my guts, everyone was happy that _I_ was with you, people _congratulated_ us!”

“It’s--”

“And now you’re freaking out. You’re freaked out by the _idea_ of us being a thing aren’t you?” Lance has tears building in his eyes and it kills him. 

“That’s not true.” He says.

“Bull shit. You’ve been hiding something from me for years, and I figured _‘don’t worry about it, Keith will tell you when he’s ready like he does with everything else’_ but you haven’t! You’re still hiding!”

“I… I’m not --”

“God do you even want to be _friends_ with me?” Lance runs his hands through his hair. 

“No,” Keith says so suddenly, so jarring, they both freeze once again. Lance stares at him, more hurt than ever. His whole face crumples and it takes out Keith’s knees. He knows he can’t leave it like this.

“So that’s --”

“I’m in love with you.” He cuts Lance off. 

“...What?” He looks even more confused. And like a dam breaking open it all rushes out of him.

“I don’t want to be your _friend_ because you don’t date your friends. You don’t kiss your friends. You don’t want to destroy a friendship with someone and… and neither did I.” He shakes. “I didn’t want to lose you as my friend. But god, every year it just kept piling up and I kept looking for _you_ in other people to make it work.”

“You --”

“My exes don’t hate you because you’re my best friend, they hate you because they know I’m still not over you. They hate you because they know I _won’t_ get over you.” He runs his hands through his hair. 

“How long?”

“Since I kissed you at homecoming.” Keith laughs, hysterically. “But you didn’t know it was me.” Then Lance says something that guts him the way it did that night.

“...I did. I knew it was you.”

“...Then why?”

“I panicked! I hadn’t even come out to myself yet at that point. I was trying to figure out if I wanted to _be_ like you or if I wanted _you_.” He sits down on the bed. “By the time I had it all figured out, you were dating James.” He looks at his hands.

“I dated James to get my mind off you, and he knew.” 

“Why didn’t you say it after you broke up with him?” 

“You were with that one girl!”

“After that!” He looks up at Keith.

“I was dating someone!”

“...Then you’d break up when I was with someone.”

“And I’d throw myself at someone when you were single.” Keith sits on the floor, wanting to give Lance his space but also because his knees won’t make it a single step.

“On purpose?”

“Sometimes.”

“...How long were you going to go without telling me?” 

“Forever. Probably.” He shrugs.

“Emotional depth of a walnut.” Lance covers his face. They sit in silence for a moment. The soft hum of the air conditioner their background song. Keith finishes pulling his tie off, pulling his hair down. 

“Now you know,” Keith whispers. “That’s what I’ve been hiding from you.”

“Now I know.”

“...What do we -- What do you want to do?” 

“I need to think,” Lance says. 

“Okay. I can -- I can leave and you can text me when you’re ready for me to come back.” He offers.

“And if I don’t?”

“I’ll deal with it,” Keith says. Lance sighs, lays back against the bed, and stares up at the ceiling.

“How about this, you let me think about it this whole weekend we’re here, and I’ll tell you my answer when we get home?”

“Do you want me to go get a motel?” 

“No, I want you here.” Lance rolls off the bed and sits in front of Keith.

“I don’t understand, aren’t you pissed at me?”

“I’m not. I’m mad because I _could’ve_ been with you for _years_ now and had so many experiences with you. But because I was scared to lose _your_ friendship, that _you_ didn’t like me back, I didn’t say anything.” He sighs and then holds his arms out, making grabby hands. Keith’s never been able to deny Lance much of anything and finds himself scooting closer to Lance. He scoops him up in his arms, holding him close. Keith rests his head on Lance’s shoulder.

“So, I’m _technically_ still dating you because you asked, we can consider it a trial run. When we get home, then we can see about _actually_ being together.”

“Okay.”

“Can we do that?”

“Yeah. We can.” Keith nods.

“Good.” He rubs his back and then squeezes him, pushing him upright after. “First things first though.”

“Hmm?” Keith tilts his head as Lance undoes the top two buttons on his shirt.

“You need to shower. You’re greasy and smell like sweat. While you’re doing that I’ll order us something to eat, maybe we can crack open one of those mini-fridge drinks for the fuck of it, and talk.”

“Why do you always want to talk?”

“Communication is key to every relationship. You better get used to it.” Lance sticks his tongue out.

“Lance, I would learn Spanish for you.”

“I’ll hold you to it. Now go. _A bañar._ ” Lance pushes Keith towards the bathroom.

He eventually has the strength back in his legs to move and he pauses in the doorway, giving Lance one last look. He smiles, winks, blows him a kiss and then shoos at him. Keith feels lighter, more complete, and that Lance will _want_ to stay with him. For once in such a long time, he looks forward to a relationship and knows that they will make it work.

**Author's Note:**

> Dear lord this one was a long one lol  
> And I haven't had to format text colors since like 2013
> 
> Feel free to drop me a line here or over at demon-sushi at Tumblr, I do my best to respond to every comment <3


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